Shaman King: Story of Evil
by streetlights and music
Summary: "Oh, it's tea time..." "If it's to protect you, I will become evil for you." Behind the cruel rule of a prince lies the devoted love of a servant with a like face. AU. Twins fic. Based on the Story of Evil. DISCONTINUED.
1. Intro

**Shaman King: Story of Evil**

"_Oh, it's tea time..." "If it's to protect you, I will become evil for you." Behind the cruel rule of a prince lies the devoted love of a servant with a like face. AU. Twins fic. Asakura twins-centric. Based on the Story of Evil. Warnings/Explanations of the story inside._

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PLEASE READ. STORY STARTS IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU! :)

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**Disclaimer: **Zero*Clue does not own Shaman King, Vocaloids, and AkunoP's (mothy) Evil Series. So the _**basic**_ plot is not mine either.

**Warnings: **Due to the nature of the Story of Evil, Hao and Yoh will be kind of OOC here, but more so on the latter's part (I don't think Hao will be OOC too much, if at all). Also, humor is not my best skill, so forgive me if things are... lame (lamer than Chocolove's jokes, maybe?) Also, chapters can be either very long, or of normal length. I tend to write long when I'm in the mood. Some spoilers from the manga will be present, so read at your own risk. Hm, what else? I'd warn you about something else, but that might spoil the story. So I guess you'll just have to keep your eyes open^^ I also proofread my own works, so I apologize for grammatical and spelling errors. And finally, THIS STORY DOES NOT FOLLOW A CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. So you have to read each part to understand all the other parts.

**Zero*Clue****: **Yo! So I started drifting to the Vocaloid fandom and to the SK fandom at the same time. I love the Kagamine twins and the Asakura twins so... yeah. This project was born. I'll be separating the story into four parts; one part for each song, except the last since I'm not sure if I'll do that. But that doesn't mean that the story will consist of only four chapters though. If you think I should do the last song (Daughter of White/Bystander), tell me.

**For those of you who know the Story of Evil**, I hope I don't disappoint you guys. I'll be tweaking the basic storyline somewhat, and I haven't read the novel or the manga yet so I'll be making up my own scenes and twists. (Yes, apparently, there's a novel.) I _have_ listened to the songs and watched the many PV's on YouTube, so I have an idea on what to do. I also read the play on wiki, so I might also get some ideas from there.

**Casting (may contain spoilers...?): **I had some trouble casting the characters, especially on the twins' part. Hao seems to be an obvious choice for Rin since he _is_ the crueller one, but I don't really see Yoh as the protective Len because that also seems to be something Hao would be doing (protecting Yoh). Yoh is innocent and carefree, which is another side of Rin, but Hao isn't someone who would look at other people (the girl in green)... unless that was Anna, but Anna doesn't fit the gentle Miku. Also, I don't ship Hao/Anna, although that seems to be an interesting pair. Rin is more prideful though, so again, Hao fits her character. Len is humble (and he ties his hair in a ponytail too!) so Yoh could fit his character, since he cares more for others than himself. But that would contradict Len's actions in the Country of Green. Also, it would be kind of badass, though completely OOC, if Yoh was Rin. In terms of Len's level-headedness and perception, I think both Hao and Yoh fit the description. I think Yoh is pretty smart and perceptive too, he's just too laid-back in the anime to show it much.

So as you can see, I had trouble with the casting. Therefore, to fit the characters to their designated roles, I tweaked the story a bit to fit their personalities.

**Places:** The Story of Evil takes place in at least two countries and one village, I think. And one country was also mentioned, though the characters won't be staying there at all. The only places I know in the SK world are Japan, China, Tokyo, Izumo and Patch. America wouldn't seem like a country ruled by monarchy, and Patch is better off as a village. I don't really want to use China as a kingdom either (I don't know why). So I used the original Kingdoms in the saga.

**WATCH THE STORY OF EVIL ON YOUTUBE! IT'S REALLY GOOD!** Though if you don't wanna be spoiled in this story, I guess you don't have to watch it.

**What is the Story of Evil/Vocaloids?**

Well, I'm not sure if everyone is familiar with the Vocaloids, so I'll explain. The Vocaloids are voice synthesizing application softwares developed by the Yamaha Corporation. They are programs that are being sold, and the buyers get to use them to sing the songs they compose. You can pick which Vocaloid you want. There are different Vocaloids with different voices, and each has developed his own character through the songs that became popular over the internet.

AkunoP (mothy) is a composer who created the Story of Evil, which consists of five songs (in order of when events occured): TwiRight Prank, Daughter of Evil, Servant of Evil, Regret Message and Daughter of White/Bystander (although I was sure that the last one was fanmade, but Wikipedia says otherwise). Fanmade videos were created as spin-offs of the original saga. These include: Daughter of Green, Daughter of Vengeance and Prince of Blue. The Story of Evil is mainly about the Kagamine twins Len and Rin, with supporting characters from other Voicaloids such as Miku Hatsune, Yowane Haku, Kaito and Meiko.

Well, that's the basic nutshell. Google on it more if you want.

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Sorry for the long author's note. I applaud you if you have read this far. Here's a cookie!

Now, without further ado, I present to you the Story of Evil: SK Style!


	2. The Lake Behind the Castle

**Shaman King: Story of Evil**

"_Oh, it's tea time..." "If it's to protect you, I will become evil for you." Behind the cruel rule of a prince lies the devoted love of a servant with a like face._

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**Chapter Warnings: **Mikihisa might be OOC since I can't remember his exact personality. Oh, and the chapter is kinda long and filler-ish, though it does show some background of the story.

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**PART I**

TwiRight Prank

**Chapter One:**

The Lake Behind the Castle

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_There was once upon a time in another place_

_In another time, in another day_

_When two brothers shared the world together_

_The proud older brother_

_And the good-hearted younger brother_[1]

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The kingdom of Lucifenia was a prosperous one. It was a kingdom of equality and democratic belief ruled by monarchy. The head of a country is, after all, just a figurehead to be followed, to be blamed and to be relied on. Be it a king, a president, or a prime minister, a leader is still a leader. They lead people, they guide them, and they dictate them for the betterment of the country. The method of governing a country does not dictate the leader; it is the other way around. Thus, the king led the people into democracy (or what was closest to democracy in a kingdom ruled by monarchy) with aristocratic grace.

Lucifenia was loved by all of its townspeople, admired by its allies and feared by its enemies. Yes, even a prosperous country has enemies. Several of them, in fact. When the king was asked how he should go about it, he shrugged and gave a wistful smile. As he always said, "You know you are doing something right when you are hated by the right people."[2] The ministers of the palace were satisfied with that answer, and left it at that.

Of course, every kingdom has its own political qualms. Lucifenia was no exception.

"Hao, Yoh, this is Lady Meene Montgomery. This is probably your first time seeing her, isn't it?" Mikihisa said, gesturing to the young lady in front of him. As Mikihisa never liked being addressed as King, we shall leave his name at that. "She is from the House of Montgomery."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highnesses." Lady Meene said, bowing low. She turned to Mikihisa and started, as if she remembered something suddenly. "Oh, and to you too, Your Majesty. It is an honor to be invited in the Asakura Palace."

"The pleasure's all mine." Mikihisa replied. He turned to his two boys, and seeing that they look kind of... lost, he sighed inwardly. It can't be helped though. The boys are barely over the age of five, if he remembered correctly. Politics did not interest them, not that Mikihisa liked politics in the first place. But duties _are_ duties. Mikihisa knew that the ignorance wasn't worth the consequences he would face.

He coughed slightly when he felt his throat burn for a moment. The princes, however, took that as a sign that they weren't doing something they should be doing.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Meene!" Prince Yoh said, grinning slightly. He gave a cheerful wave, while his brother shook his head silently from behind. He gave a short nod to the Lady to show his acknowledgement, and then turned to Prince Yoh.

"It's _Lady_ Meene, Yoh." Prince Hao whispered firmly, but not strictly. He had a soft spot for his brother, after all. "You have to address her properly in meetings like this."

"Eh?" Prince Yoh tilted his head cutely, showing his confusion. In his mind, being called a Lady and addressing someone as Miss was the same thing. But if Hao says it's rude, then perhaps it really was rude. Hao has been the better of the two when it comes to these things, after all. He turned to Lady Meene and grinned sheepishly, his hand scratching the back of his head. "I'm sorry for being rude. It's nice to meet you _Lady_ Meene."

"Oh, how cute." Lady Meene said. A smile danced around her lips as she eyed the younger prince curiously. "They grow up so fast, don't they? Pretty soon, they will rule this country like the great king you are, Your Majesty."

"Yes, they will." Mikihisa said. His throat was beginning to heat up again. He cleared his throat. "The time for that won't be long now."

"Have you decided on who will inherit the throne?" Lady Meene felt the king's eyes on her, but she ignored it.

"No, not yet." Burning. His throat was burning. "There is still (_cough_) plenty of (_cough_) time for that." He fell to a coughing fit.

"Otou-san[3] is sick again?" Prince Yoh tugged at the hem of Mikihisa's robe. His eyes were filled with worry. Beside him, Prince Hao also looked up at his father. His concern, although there, was not expressed as freely as Prince Yoh's.

"Shall I get your medicine, father?" Prince Hao asked.

"No, it's all right." Another cough. "Why don't you go to the Lake? The sunset is very beautiful to look at from there." At this, the faces of both boys lit up. They were big fans of nature, as any shaman would be.

"Ooh! I want to see the sunset!" Prince Yoh said excitedly. Then, looking at his father, he stopped. "But you're sick again! Otou-san shouldn't have gone to that fairy village in the rain last week!"

"Fairy Village?" Lady Meene asked.

"The Village of the Koropokkuru." Prince Hao answered.

"That's all right, Yoh. I'll be fine." Mikihisa managed to suppress the next cough to something less... audible. It sounded squeaky though. Lady Meene and Prince Hao ignored it. Prince Yoh didn't seem to notice. "Now go. The sun's about to set."

"..." Prince Yoh kept his gaze fixed at his father, his lips pouting. Prince Hao snickered.

"… Fine. I will take my medicine later, okay?"

"Okay!" Prince Yoh smiled. "You better be... uh... better when I get back!" He grabbed his brother's wrist and dragged him to the lake. As they ran, Mikihisa vaguely heard the conversation between his two boys. "Hurry up, aniki![4]" "I will if you just _let me go!_ Hey, watch out for that-!" _CRASH!_ "Ow!" "Yoh! Are you alright?"

"Prince Yoh seems to have you wrapped around his finger, Your Majesty." Lady Meene commented. "He'd make a nice ruler, I'm sure."

"Sir Luchist seems to disagree, though." Mikihisa replied. "He thinks Hao is a better choice."

"Pardon me, Your Majesty, but Prince Hao seems to be kind of..."

"... apathetic? Proud?"

"Well, yes. Kind of. I apologize if I offend Your Majesty and His Highness the Prince."

"No need for apologies. Hao just doesn't like meeting new people. Most people get that impression. It doesn't bother either of us."

"I see..."

"But you know..." Mikihisa started to cough again. His eyes followed the direction the twins ran off. "Hao _does_ care about people."

"Pardon me, but I have heard of stories that told otherwise."

Mikihisa closed his eyes and smiled. "He cares for his brother, though. Isn't that a good start?"

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"Look! Look! Look!" Yoh yelled, pointing at the sky. "The first star!"

"Yes, I know." Hao said. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

The twins settled at the edge of the lake that was slightly elevated. They were near the forest that surrounded half the lake(which was quite huge), and a little ways off the path leading to the Imperial Palace. They sat side by side, their feet moving in circular motions in the water. Hao and Yoh watched the sunset together, a peaceful pastime shared by the twins. After all, the sky is a magnificent creation. Yoh preferred to watch the clouds, while Hao argued that it was much more beautiful counting the stars. Though they enjoyed the others' hobbies, it still did not match their own. There was something about the clouds that fascinated Yoh. Perhaps it was their fluffy whiteness and wispy edges, or maybe it was the funny shapes they have. Meanwhile, Hao was more interested in the stars. The darkness was alluring, and the twinkling was like a welcome mockery. He once believed that the night sky was a big black curtain, and the stars were holes poked out of that curtain, letting the light of day escape.

It was during the sunset did both brothers learn to appreciate the sky together. Yoh could witness the emerging of the first stars, and Hao can see the formation of the clouds around the setting sun. And much more magnificent than the clouds and the stars were the colors. There was orange, Yoh's favorite color. The orange blended with the red and yellow, and then it would fade to a gentle pink. Sometimes, when it was still early, the twins can see the blue and white mix with the orange, and there's a green tint here and there too. As time moves, the sky is inked with a dark purple, which slowly evolved to black. Yoh never said he liked black, though he didn't dislike it either. But Hao, though he never said he liked black either, was comfortable with the darkness it held.

Right now, though, the sky was a beautiful mix of orange, pink and purple. It was so beautiful, it was almost surreal. It was as if it was painted there for them. The world seemed to stop at a standstill, and the boys had no qualms with that. They continued to watch in silence, until Yoh would burst out in enthusiastic glee about some bird or another.

Sometimes, the younger one would splash some water, which inevitably got the older one wet. This resulted in an all-out splash war from both boys.

"Hey! That's not fair, aniki!"

"You started it, Yoh!"

_Splash! Splash!_

"Ah... ah!" Yoh did not know how it happened, but he soon found himself dripping wet all over. He couldn't remember how he fell off the edge, or how his brother's arm was hanging in mid-air in his attempt to prevent his otouto from falling to the lake.

"You are so clumsy, otouto." Hao said as he reached for his younger brother's hand, who gladly took it. As he hoisted his brother up, he felt a strong presence eyeing them. His eyes narrowed as he tried to pinpoint who or what was watching them. '_If he hurts Yoh in any way..._'

"You did that on purpose, 'nii-chan![6]" Yoh said. He tried to wring the water from his clothes, but was left still dripping wet.

Hao snapped back to his brother, his eyes becoming gentle though his mind stayed alert. "No I didn't. You're just too much of a klutz." He ruffled his brother's hair.

"Hmph." Yoh crossed his arms and stuck his tongue out at Hao, which only made the older of the two laugh. "Don't laugh! Or I'll... I'll use Hyoui Gattai[7] on you!"

Hao just laughed even more, much to Yoh's chagrin. Yoh turned his back on his brother and started to fiddle with his headphones. It never made Yoh any more regal than he does now, but no one commented about it in fear of Hao's response. Mikihisa just lets it slip, and so does Keiko. _"As long as you keep up with your shaman training, you can keep your headphones."_ Though Yoh has been slow at shamanism compared to Hao, he has mastered a decent amount of techniques compared to those older than him. Thus, the headphones never left his side.

"If my headphones don't work, it's gonna be your fault, aniki!" Yoh grumbled, putting the wet device on. "Achooo!"

He shivered suddenly, though whether it was from the cold, or something else, Yoh wasn't sure.

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_In an empty place with nothing around  
I suddenly tripped and started to cry  
It's okay; it's surely just a prank  
By the naughty twilight  
_  
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"Aw, are you mad at me, Yoh?" Hao asked, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. Yoh shrugged the hand off and let out a big "Hmph!"

"I'm not mad!" Yoh said.

Hao sighed and took an orange from the basket they took with them. The cooks at the palace were used to the twins asking for food for their afternoon sky-gazing adventures at the lake, so they prepared a basket full of food for the two each day. "Here." Hao said, handing out the orange. He faced his brother and smiled. "I'm sorry, okay?"

Again, he felt eyes on them.

"Alright." Yoh said, accepting the apple. He gave out a big grin and hugged his brother. "You know I can't stay mad at you forever, aniki."

Hao hugged his brother back, yet his eyes darted towards the lake. "I know. I love you, Yoh." He felt something ominous creeping up his spine. '_Whoever is watching us doesn't seem... human._'

"I love you too, 'nii-chan!" Yoh exclaimed, hugging his brother tighter. He shivered again, and this time, Hao noticed. He let go of his brother and took off his coat.

"Here. You might catch a cold." Hao said. Yoh nodded and accepted the coat gratefully. Hao looked back at the lake, then at the sky. "It's getting dark. We better go home."

"Aww... But I want to play some more!" Yoh pouted, then tugged at Hao's arm. "Can't we stay for a while? Please?"

Hao gave his brother a soft smile. "You might catch a cold." At this, Yoh sneezed again. "See?"

"... Alright. But we'll play again tomorrow, right?"

"We _always_ play together, otouto."

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_We must return home soon  
Before it gets dark_

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The two brothers walked, side by side, with their hands clasped around each other. As they made their way to the Imperial Palace, Yoh mutters something to Hao, to which the older laughed. He ruffled his otouto's hair and handed him another orange. Yoh gave a big grin and hugged his brother.

"Hm..." came a dark, low voice. "What pretty children... especially that young one with the ponytail."

The lake's still water was disturbed that night. Small ripples emerged on the surface, and the fish living beneath swam rapidly to the edges of the lake. Something sinister began to move. As night was moving rapidly, the boys did not have the time to look back at the lake. And yet, if one looked closely enough, one would have noticed strange eyes roaming about the waters. The sunset's rays reflected its white skin, which made it seem surreal. Supernatural. Spiritual.

Demonic.

A low growl came from the creature's belly. The creature laughed and continued to eye the two princes; particularly, the smaller, energetic one.

"It's nearing nighttime..."

The creature moved back to the depths of the lake.

* * *

_Beyond the lake's horizon  
The devil was sneering evilly  
"Let me swallow you into my black belly  
So that we can play together!"_

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_

Yoh shivered again.

"Are you alright, otouto?" Hao asked. He stopped walking and faced his brother, putting a hand on the younger prince's forehead. "You don't seem to be catching a fever though."

"It's not the cold, 'nii-chan." Yoh said. His eyes shifted towards the lake. "There's... something there."

Hao frowned. If his brother sensed it too, then they must hurry along. Admittedly, Hao would have enjoyed beating up whatever creature or human was watching them from the lake, but he did not want his little brother to get hurt. '_I'm not even sure this monster is human at all. I don't know if I'll be able to beat it with just shikigamis._' It shall be noted now that the great Hao Asakura, as powerful as he may be, has not yet acquired the Spirit of Fire. "So you sensed it too, huh?"

Yoh nodded, holding his brother's hand tighter. His eyes never left the lake. "I didn't see anything. But I sense something... different from the spirits and shikigamis."

Hao gave a thoughtful nod. '_We're still a little ways off the main path. The guards won't be able to help us if we stay here._' It brings us to the question how the two most important children of the country (for they _are_ princes _and_ future leaders of Lucifenia) are left roaming around the lake – and the palace – unguarded. It was mainly because the guards often interfered with their games (though they never really intended to) and Hao wasn't fond of being watched. Neither was Yoh, but Hao was more... expressive about it. The older prince can really pack a punch when he wanted to, and of course, no one would want to argue with a prince, especially if that person was just a measly guard that can easily be kicked out of the Imperial Palace with a snap of a finger. Yoh never liked violence, but he _was_ grateful for Hao's actions, so he never objected them. Their parents could merely sigh in defeat.

"We'd better hurry then." Hao said, pulling Yoh's hand as he walked briskly. Yoh merely followed his brother. He tried not to look back at the lake, which seemed to become more sinister as the sun continued to disappear from the horizon. He looked away and focused on his brother, who was firmly grasping his hand. Hao's hair swished to and fro as he walked. A quick breeze blew by, and Yoh felt his brother's soft locks touch his hand with feathery strokes. '_Nii-san has very pretty hair_...'

There was a low growl. Twilight was disappearing. Before Yoh could say anything, he felt a reassuring squeeze from his brother's hand. Hao looked back at his brother and gave a soft smile.

'_Surely 'nii-san will protect me..._' thought Yoh. He grinned back at his brother.

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_We must return home soon  
Before we get eaten_

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_The creature of the lake approached the edge slowly, taking his precious time despite the hungry growls from his stomach.

From across the lake, the creature saw the two princes walking faster towards the Imperial Palace. He let out a gruff sound, and made its way to shore.

He approached the shore quietly. Not a sound was heard from the creature as he waded around the edge, his arms groping about the beach. He felt stones and sharp rocks graze his skin as he waved his arms around. Yet still, he made no sound. No blood flowed from his cuts.

Then he felt something else. It was cold – metallic cold – and he grabbed it immediately. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was a pocket watch. A golden one at that. The edges were engraved with symbols of the Asakura family, and the center was engraved with a picture of sorts. It resembled something he saw once from the older prince when he and his brother would come out to play at night. They never went close enough to the lake during those times, but the creature could remember that light. It was bright and alluring, in contrast with the dark sky. And the colors blended perfectly, as if they were recreating a sunset. Yet it cackled and moved, as if it were alive.

It was fire.

The creature could remember it vividly in his mind. His eyes fixed its gaze on the watch. He opened it, and saw the second hand ticking slowly. Again, there were symbols on the edge of the clock that he could not understand. The ticking sound, rhythmic and soft as it was, annoyed the creature. He broke the second hand off.

He held the pocket watch up, and saw the golden colors brightly shine against the setting sun. The chains made a soft sound as the clock was lifted, yet the boys were too far away to hear.

The creature took the pocket watch and returned to the lake.

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Hao could feel the strong presence was coming closer. His eyes wandered around darkly, his hands kept a firm grip on his brother's and his heart pounded loudly in his chest. He didn't know why he was afraid. After all, he was the prince of Lucifenia! A great shaman, a future leader (his dreams of leading the country had, of course, included hid brother by his side). What was there for him to fear? It was the people who feared him. The unknown _should_ fear him, not the other way around.

But of course, as intelligent and brave as Hao tried to be, he was just a five year-old kid. Nothing more than a child. And he _still_ has the privilege to be scared of the monsters in his closet, or the bogey-man under his bed, though he never had the chance to use such privileges because he was, after all, Asakura Hao. He was never scared. Never. Not in front of his brother, at least.

Yoh was more scared than he cared to show, though Hao could notice that right away. Yoh has lost his chattiness, his laughter, and his overall energetic mood from before. He still smiled at his older brother though, especially when Hao squeezed his hand. He trusted Hao too much to protect him, and Hao wasn't going to fail his brother now.

It shall be noted now that, despite being trained to be great shaman princes, the two brothers have never been in any kind of _real_ danger before. Their shamanic training, therefore, has not helped them in real life as of yet. They were trained more to become the royal heirs to the throne. They have yet to witness war or famine. The scariest creature they have seen, so far, was their grandmother and grandfather, Asakura Kino and Asakura Yohmei, during trainings. Oh, Anna Kyouyama may also fit into that category as well. The next horrifying thing to happen to them was the bogey-man under the bed, only to find that it was just a giant dust bunny that they later laughed off. So the presence of the unknown lurking about in the dark has made quite an impact on the two boys.

"Is aniki scared?" Yoh asked quietly. Hao stopped and looked back at his brother's inquisitive eyes.

"No. I'm not scared. If I was, I can't protect my otouto, now can I?" Hao answered. "... Are you?"

"I'm not scared either," Yoh smiled. His eyes lightened up; it twinkled slightly. "Because I have aniki by my side! I'll protect you too, aniki!"

Hao smiled at Yoh. They continued walking with calmer hearts.

Hao felt his pockets were unusually light as they walked, but he didn't bother to check what was missing, lest he look back and saw that the creature was, in fact, a real monster. He had a vague feeling that it was his pocket watch, though.

* * *

_The small chest that we hid  
In the sandy beach  
Has been engulfed by night's darkness  
And can no longer be found_

_

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_Yoh wrapped his brother's coat tighter around his body. The coat was a bit big on him, but only because the person who gave the coat (none of the twins could remember who) did not know what size Hao wore. In essence though, Yoh and Hao wore the same sized clothes since they had the same height and build. Hao was more muscular though, due to his disciplined training, whereas Yoh could only be described as lean because of his laziness.

Hao also had longer hair compared to his brother's. His hair reached his just above his waist. Yoh knew that Hao would let it grow longer. This often led to many heated debates concerning who was girlier between the two boys. No winner has been proclaimed as of yet, though inwardly, Yoh liked to believe that Hao was girlier on the grounds of having longer hair and having a meticulous process of taking care of said hair. This includes many herbal shampoos and concoctions, as well as a minimum of fifteen minutes of combing. Thirty if Hao was feeling particularly perfectionist that day.

Of course, Yoh's hair was nothing short of healthy either. He uses the same shampoo as Hao and takes a great amount of time (though not as much as Hao) taking care of his hair. He just bunches his in a messy ponytail, and covers his head with giant, orange earphones. Thus, his hair is barely noticeable compared to Hao's.

Yoh chuckled at his thoughts. Despite the looming creature lurking behind his back, his mind is muddled with thoughts of shampoos and his brother's silky hair. '_It's a great distraction though._'

"What's so funny, otouto?" Hao asked. He did not look back at his brother as he spoke, though. His eyes were fixed on the road.

"Nothing." Yoh said. "Your hair is just pretty, that's all."

Hao raised an eyebrow, but did not say anything else.

'_Despite being twins, we are so different from each other._' Yoh thought. '_Hao is more serious and mature while I'm so..._'

Gullible? Naive?

Immature? Childish?

Annoying?

Has Hao ever thought of him as annoying? '_But he's my big brother. He wouldn't think that._' Yet Yoh couldn't help himself but doubt Hao. Yoh was, after all, the noisier one of the two. He is much more immature and carefree. He is also slower at picking up shamanism, though he always thought that was just because his brother was a genius prodigy. Could he be slowing down his brother from his training? Could Hao be annoyed at his constant pestering and questions? Could he be irritated with his immaturity? After all, Hao was always the one helping him. Protecting him, teaching him... He was like a whole new level.

'_But we're twins. Why can't we have the same talents?_'

Yoh felt bad for doubting his older brother.

"Is something wrong, Yoh?" Hao asked. He stopped walking again to look at his brother. He noticed that he has been stopping their walk often now.

"Why do you ask, aniki?"

"Well, you suddenly let go of my hand and stopped walking."

"I did?"

"Yes, you did." Hao sighed. His brother often did this when he was thinking of something. "Is something on your mind?"

"... No. Well, yes, actually." Yoh fidgeted with his orange. He hasn't eaten it since Hao gave it to him. "Am I annoying to you, aniki?"

"Wha-?" Hao was startled by the question. Where did _that_ come from?

"I mean," Yoh cut in. "We're both so different. You're much smarter and better and prettier and mature-er than me. And I'm just... I don't know. I think I'm annoying and childish compared to you."

Hao stared at his brother, wondering how Yoh could even _think_ that. Had his brother been comparing the two of them for a while now? Has he been thinking that way back then? "It's 'more mature', Yoh." Hao replied. He chuckled slightly, and the other boy's cheeks reddened in embarrassment. "You're so cute, you know that?"

"You're avoiding the question, aniki."

"Well..." Hao put the basket down and glanced at the lake. The creature was nowhere to be found, yet small ripples were emerging from the surface. The sun was nearly out of view now. There were barely any orange or red left in the sky. The stars were beginning to multiply. "You're not annoying. You never have been."

"Really?" Yoh's eyes lit up, sparkling with hope.

"Yeah." Hao smiled at his brother. "You don't have to compare the two of us. Just because I'm more mature doesn't mean I'm better. We're twins, after all." He chuckled at his brother's reaction. "You could say we're two halves of a whole. Your innocence and energy makes up for my half of the whole."

"So we're like yin and yang then?"

"Yeah. You could say that."

"Or day and night?"

"Yes. Or fire and rain." The two started walking again.

"Or apples and oranges! Oh, but you don't like apples though..."

"How about tomatoes and potatoes?"[8]

"..."

"Not a good pair, huh?"

"I don't like tomatoes."

"Well, then I can be the tomatoes. You like potatoes, right?"

"Yeah. They're mushy and stuff! And they taste good with orange syrup!"

A sweatdrop. "Y-yes. I guess they do."

Behind them, the sun has disappeared from view. The creature's eyes glinted as the boys rounded the lake.

* * *

_Let's divide the twilight  
Between the two of us  
I'll be the daytime  
I'll be the nighttime  
When we hold hands, we make a beautiful orange sky_

_

* * *

_

[1] I just made that up. It's not really part of TwiRight Prank.

[2] _"You know you are doing right when you are hated by the right people."_ I'm pretty sure Mikihisa never said this, though I did find this quote fitting so I added it there. I don't remember who said it though. I just found it over the internet.

[3] _Otou-san_: Father (while _Okaa-san_ means "Mother")

[4] [6] _Aniki/ 'nii-chan:_ Older Brother (could also be _onii-chan_ or _onii-san_)

[5] _Otouto_: Younger Brother

[7] _Hyou Gattai_: "Spirit Unity" in the English dub

[8] I don't know what made me write that. Tomatoes and potatoes? I'm sorry for the crappy analogy.

**Forms of Address**: If you noticed, I sometimes call Yoh "Prince Yoh", and other times just "Yoh". The same goes for Hao. I call them by their names when we are entering their thoughts, or if they are somewhere where addressing them as prince is too formal. In special occasions in the presence of other nobility, I address them as "Prince Yoh" or "Prince Hao" unless, again, we enter their thoughts (like when Yoh thought Hao was right about saying that it was rude not to call Meene a Lady). Mikihisa, as explained earlier, does not like being called "King". If you find this confusing, just tell me so I don't have to change the way they are called unless in dialogue. Although, I think I'll stop doing this in the long run.

**Lyrics:** If you have listened to TwiRight Prank, you would notice that Rin sang the first part instead of Len. But Yoh (who is portraying Len's role in the story) is the one who tripped. I don't think it's important who tripped and who doesn't, regardless of which character sang that part (if the Asakura twins were singing, it would've been Hao). It seems more real if Yoh fell rather than the graceful Hao (not that Yoh isn't graceful, but he's too carefree to exhibit that).

**Zero*Clue:** I am done with the first chapter! It kinda looks like a filler chapter, but I needed some exposition and I needed to show how Yoh and Hao act before the main story begins. Plus, this is part of the basic storyline for Story of Evil. I don't want to leave this part behind. The main story, which is Part II: (Daughter) Prince of Evil, will begin in chapter three or four. TwiRight Prank will have only two chapters since I want to get this part over with so we can start with the Prince of Evil.

REVIEW! Criticisms are fine, but please don't flame. I want to keep getting better with my writing.


	3. The Demon of the Lake

**Zero*Clue: **Erm... I think I failed writing this chapter. But I did enjoy it, anyway. A big THANK YOU for those who read and favorite-d my story! But it wouldn't hurt if you reviewed, right? Anyway, I would just like the readers to know that I am a sporadic updater. This is mainly because something is interfering with my writing (_cough_LIFE_cough_). Just school really. Nothing big. Although... we don't have a lot of classes in November and December because our school hosts a lot of contests and activities these two months (plus, it's the Christmas season!). I'm not sure if this will give me _more_ time, or actually give me _less_ time because of practices and stuff. I will try to write when I can, though.

**Chapter Notes/Warnings: **Hao, Yoh and Anna don't really act like five-year olds here. (sweatdrops). I think I kinda made them more mature (although, considering Anna and Hao's personalities, that's probably a given?). And also, an OOC Hao. Kinda. Well, he has a brother-complex here at least. And the walk from the lake is long. VERY LONG. This chapter is also longer compared to the first. I am inconsistent with my POV's, so forgive me if I make things seem like third person omniscient. And lastly, I SUCK at dialogue, so forgive me for the talking heads and other crappy stuff.

I think I talk to much. Anywho... on with the fic!

* * *

**PART I**

TwiRight Prank

**Chapter Two:**

The Demon of the Lake

* * *

The creature of the lake moved towards the shore, a little ways ahead of the two princes. There, he waited patiently for the boys to come close enough.

Behind him, the sun has completely disappeared, leaving the dark curtain of night at its wake. The stars appeared one by one, twinkling mischievously. The moon was full, and slowly rising to replace the sun.

From the Imperial Palace, the bell chimed once. The creature diverted his attention to the two princes.

"It must be dinner time!" Yoh exclaimed. A growl escaped from his stomach in response. Hao chuckled at that, which made Yoh's cheeks flush.

"Why don't you eat your orange along the way, then?" Hao said. He looked up a few seconds later. "I don't think the castle is that far now."

"But I'm tired, nii-san. I don't wanna walk!" Yoh said. He, too, looked at the Imperial Palace, which still seemed a mile away for the younger shaman. "I bet kaa-san is worried about us."

"Then we better hurry before the guards come get us." Hao said. "I don't want to deal with any monsters or guards right now. Do you want a piggyback ride, otouto?"

The bell chimed for the second time. The creature continued to watch.

Yoh grinned. "Yay!" He exclaimed. He jumped on his brother's back immediately, making both of them fall to the ground. Hao suppressed a yell to a squeak, which Yoh subsequently followed with a hearty laugh "Yoh!" Hao said out of surprise. He laughed along and playfully punched his brother in the arm.

"Don't surprise me like that!" He said. He stood up to dust himself off. He reached out a hand to help his brother up. "I'll bend down first, then you can jump on me, okay? But not too hard or I might kill you with a shikigami next time."

"Hai! Hai![1]" Yoh said. He carefully climbed on his brother's back this time. "Weeee! Arigatou[2] aniki!" He hugged his brother from behind, and kissed his cheek. Hao was startled for a moment, his cheeks slightly flustered by his brother's actions. He didn't know what to think of it, though surely that was just Yoh's way of showing his brotherly affection, and nothing more that could cross a taboo line. Not that Hao ever thought of his brother that way (or of anyone else, for that matter). He did appreciate the action, yet still... It was quite awkward.

But Yoh wasn't bothered, if his innocent grin told Hao anything. Hao just let himself smile.

"A kiss?" Hao asked. He positioned Yoh at his back and started to walk. "Aren't we a little old for that?"

"No! Never!" Yoh said, his voice faking shock and appal. "How can you say that, 'nii-san? I will never be too old to love you!"

Hao chuckled at Yoh's innocence. "I guess I will never be too old to love you either, then."

"Yehey!" Yoh said, waving his arms.

The bell chimed for the third time.

The creature disappeared, leaving ripples in the lake's surface.

* * *

_The third chime of the bell_

_Is the signal from the devil for us to wake up_

_With a very greedy look on his face_

_He keeps gazing this way at us_

_

* * *

_

A few more minutes passed by. Night has already settled in the quiet land of Lucifenia. Yet, although the kingdom has soundly sunk into the darkness, something stirred within the Asakura Palace walls.

The guard walked briskly, his heart nervous and hesitant. His head was matted with sweat, his hands were cold and seemingly frozen. His body stiff, the guard made his way to the Queen's chamber hastily. Questions ran in his mind – hundreds of them, in fact – yet only one was prominent: '_What should I do?'_

"Let me in." He said to the girl in front of the chamber. If he was in a happier mood, he would've spoken more gently with the girl. And, if he wasn't being nervous, or worried of being kicked out of the Castle – or worse, _executed_ (his mind can think of many exaggerations when it's worked up), he would have questioned why a _girl_ (she looked like she wasn't any older than five or six) was stationed in front of the Queen's chambers. "I wish to speak with Her Majesty immediately." He frowned at how shaky his voice was becoming, but the girl did not seem to notice.

"Her Majesty is in her room." She said bluntly. She closed her eyes and crossed her arms, leaning on the door ('_She has the **nerve **to do that? _') "She will not entertain anyone tonight."

"Tch." The guard frowned. "I don't have time to play games, kid! This is very important!"

The girl opened her eyes and looked up, staring the guard down. "It is Keiko-san's orders. She does not wish to see anyone tonight. It doesn't matter who."

A vein popped in the guard's skull. "Don't disrespect the queen, you little brat! This isn't the time for you to be playing 'bodyguard'. And it's '_Queen Keiko'_ to you."

"Hmph. You must be new here, aren't you?" The girl narrowed her eyes. "The queen is not at the right state to talk to anyone right now. Especially to a fool like you."

"Just let me through!" The guard pushed the girl away. "It is _very_ important for the queen to know!"

"H-hey!"

"Your Majesty!" yelled the guard. He raced into the room, throwing the double doors open hurriedly. "I apologize for barging into your room, Your Majesty, but something happened in the courtyard and-"

"Say no more." Queen Keiko said, putting up her right hand to silence the man. Her back was turned to him. She was facing the window, her eyes gazing at the stars. "The spirits… have already told me."

"I-I see." The guard replied. The girl got up and jumped, landing a merciless kick on the guard's head. The guard was taken by surprise, and he fell to the ground with a soft blow. His mind started seeing stars swirling around his head. He was left unconscious.

"Idiot." She said. She walked towards the queen and stopped in front of her. The Queen turned around to face the girl. "I apologize for not stopping this incompetent idiot, Keiko-san."

Keiko smiled sadly. She walked towards the girl and bent down, hugging her tightly. She hid her face in the girl's blonde hair, and kissed her. "It's alright Anna. It's alright." She stroked the girl's back for reassurance, though the girl – Anna, as she was called – had a feeling that it was more to reassure Keiko than herself.

"Will you be… alright?" Anna asked. Her small arms hugged the queen. "Keiko-san?"

"Of course not." Keiko smiled, pulling herself away to look at Anna. Her cheeks were stained with tears, and her eyes continued to well up. She blinked several times to prevent them from falling. "But I will be. Don't worry about me. What about you? I'm sorry for putting you on guard. You should go rest."

Anna looked down. "No. I will wait for Yoh and Hao."

The queen bit back more tears. "The guards must be looking for them."

"Kino-sensei said she will take care of them." Anna whispered. "I think she wants the twins to enjoy the sunset a bit longer."

"I see. That's nice of her." Keiko said absent-mindedly. She stood up and looked at the stars. "The stars are lovely tonight. They must be watching them too. Especially Hao. He loves star gazing."

"What will happen now, Keiko-san?"

"I don't know. But everything will work out in the end."

"How can you be so sure?"

"… I'm not."

* * *

Hao jerked his head up suddenly, as if realization splashed cold water on his head then slapped him in the face three times. His eyes widened, his pupils dilated, and he felt like something was stuck in his throat. A cold breeze blew by.

"Nii-san? What's wrong?" Yoh asked groggily. He had been sleeping on the way back, his head resting on Hao's neck, when the sudden movement startled the younger prince. Yoh could feel Hao's hands stiffen slightly. "Aniki?"

"Yoh..." Hao whispered. "The bell... It rang three times, didn't it?"

A yawn. "… I don't remember." Yoh answered truthfully. He rested his chin on Hao's shoulder to get a better glimpse of his brother. "What is it, 'nii-san?"

'_Something must have happened._' Hao thought as he closed his eyes, thoughts entering his mind as he thought up of all the possibilities. Suddenly, Hao felt the strong presence coming dangerously close. His eyes snapped open.

He regained his composure and tried to smile innocently at his brother. "It's nothing. I just thought that 'kaa-san might be ringing the bell to call us for dinner. We should hurry now." Hao started walking back towards the Imperial Palace. He would have run as fast as he could, but it would have been difficult and far too tiring with Yoh riding his back. Hao didn't so much as complain though, despite how heavy it was to carry Yoh. "Why don't you go to sleep, otouto?"

Another yawn escaped the younger prince's lips. "Hai…" Hao could faintly hear the music blaring from the headphones. Subconsciously, he wondered how his brother could sleep with that thing turned on at full volume.

* * *

He continued to walk to the Imperial Palace briskly. He did not run because that might wake Yoh up (and it was too tiring for him as well); on the other hand, he wanted to hurry home, so he tried to walk as fast as he could without breaking to a run or jog. He silently regretted having his picnic with his brother at the other (farther) side of the lake. He chose that place because it was remote and he could tune in more with nature. Plus, the guards wouldn't tire themselves to watch the princes from that side of the lake.

Hao had somewhat of a… history with the guards of the Palace, needless to say.

'_This is weird, though._' Hao thought. '_Why aren't they looking for us?_'

He walked further until his arms and back could no longer carry the younger prince. He put down his brother beneath a tree; gently so as not to awaken him. He sat down beside him and leaned against the tree. Despite his urge to return home to find out what happened, and to escape the unknown that has been watching him and his brother, his body's needs were his first priority. A five year-old can only carry his own brother for so long, after all.

'_Besides,_' Hao mused. '_I doubt the Palace will be very welcoming tonight, either._'

Panting, Hao looked about. The sun has already disappeared, and the stars were twinkling mischievously from above. Yet somehow, the sky looked… ominous.

'_And where are the spirits that usually roamed about the lake?_' Something was definitely not right. Hao stood up and looked for a stray leaf – a healthy one, without its edges chipped off. Finding one on the ground, he picked it up and put it on his palm. He closed his eyes and held out his other hand over the leaf, concentrating. A small flash of light burst from the leaf for a split second as a shikigami emerged.

The shikigami gave the shaman a questioning look.

"Where are all the spirits? Do you know?" Hao asked. The shikigami looked around, then looked back at Hao. He shifted his gaze again, this time towards the Imperial Palace.

"I see." Hao said. "I want you to go there and find out what happened."

The shikigami nodded, and off it went towards the Palace. Hao looked around, and then summoned three more shikigamis: two to watch over Yoh, and one to accompany the other shikigami towards the castle. Hao then walked a little bit farther from the tree. He collected a few twigs and branches, then lit them up in a campfire. He sat down beside the fire, watching the embers hungrily feed on air.

A shadow moved in the darkness of the still night.

"You don't have to hide in the dark." Hao said. "I know you're there, demon."

Inside, Hao's heart pumped a little bit faster than usual. He was used to seeing spirits and shikigamis, but not demons. But despite his slight… apprehension… his body was welling up with something more overpowering: courage, valiance, and the need to protect someone dear to him.

"So you can see me, huh?" came a clear voice. The creature emerged from the shadows and stood by the fire, revealing something Hao hardly imagined to have existed.

The creature was small (surprisingly!) and... rabbit like? It had white skin and long, floppy white ears that resembled that of a rabbit's. Its eyes were red and oriental (which seemed to be a more appropriate word than 'slanted' or 'thin', as 'small' does not exactly fit the description), glinting with mischief. His lips wore a big grin, also denoting some mischievous thought was in the creature's head. His arms and legs were both thin, and a small horn was protruding from his forehead.

Hao glared at the creature. He immediately stood up and grabbed the hilt of his dagger, positioning himself in a defensive fighting stance. "Who are you, demon?" He said in a menacing tone.

"Relax, pretty boy." The demon said, grinning. He boldly took a few more steps closer and sat down by the fire, opposite of Hao. Hao's body stiffened. "I'm not here to fight you, Rapunzel."

A vein popped inside Hao's skull. Did that demon just call him _Rapunzel?_

"Did I hear that right?" Hao asked, clearly irritated. "Would you care to repeat that again?"

"Which one? Pretty boy or Rapunzel?" The demon asked, grinning from ear to ear.

Something flew by the demon's ear swiftly, cutting the air cleanly. If the demon had moved in any way, part of his ear might have been cut, or worse, fallen off. "Kyaaaa!" He cried, as a second dagger came flying towards him, which he narrowly missed. "Oi, kid! Be careful with those things! I'm a demon, not a spirit, for kami's[3] sake! I _can_ get hurt, you know.[4]"

"That was the point." Hao said, smiling. The demon felt something creep up his spine when he saw that smile, innocent as it may look. Another dagger flew towards him without warning.

"JUST HOW MANY DAGGERS DO YOU HAVE?" He yelled. He jumped again to dodge another flying dagger.

"Three." Hao boredly stated as he threw another one. "I have fifteen more in the basket." The demon could only stare in response. ('_Who lets their kids run around with 17 daggers at hand?_')

"Look, kid. I didn't do anything to you." The demon said. "What's your name, anyway? I can't keep calling you 'kid'."

"You called me Rapunzel." Another dagger. "That's not my name. It's Hao Asakura."

"Oh. Well I'm Ohachiyo.[5]" The demon said.

"I don't care."

Ohachiyo sweatdropped. '_Gee, isn't he a chipper?_' He panted, before narrowly missing another dagger. Again. "Would you stop that? I'm being polite here!"

"You started it." Hao said. "What do you want with us anyway, demon? Are you the reason the spirits are leaving the lake?" The glare behind Hao's eyes was enough to stop the demon from grinning. "Are you the reason the bell rang thrice?"

"I don't know what you're talking about kid." Ohachiyo said. He sat down, tired from dodging the onslaught of raining daggers. Hao seems to have stopped attacking for the time-being as well, yet he still held his defensive stance. "I have been living here for hundreds of years now. If the spirits would run because of me, they could have done it long ago. And if something happened in the castle, that wouldn't be my fault either. Why do you care, anyway? You like a servant there, or something?"

Another vein popped in Hao's skull. "I'm a prince, you idiot demon."

Ohachiyo whistled, his grin coming back full force. "A prince huh?" He gave Hao the once over. "You don't seem regal to me."

Another dagger went straight to Ohachiyo's direction. "DAMN IT! QUIT WITH THE DAGGERS ALREADY!"

"It's not like you would die. You make good target practice as well." Hao said. Then his tone got serious. "So what do you want from us, demon?"

Ohachiyo sighed. "I almost feel bad for your brother." He gulped as Hao threw him a deadly glare. The dagger in his hand shone in the light of the fire. "Er… what I meant was, he's pretty lucky to have such an overprotective brother. Hehe…"

"What do you want with Yoh?" Hao asked, his grip on the dagger tightening. "Depending on your answer, I might have to stop toying with you with my daggers."

"What can a kid like you do?" Ohachiyo asked, standing up. "Like you said, I'm a demon. I can't die."

"Oh yeah?" Hao said. He smirked, shadows covering his eyes. The fire made him seem more sinister. "Ore wa Shaman![6] A person who can connect this world and the next!"

"Oh… so you're one of those, huh?" Ohachiyo grinned. "So is your little brother a shaman too?"

Hao narrowed his eyes.

"I've been watching both of you for some time now. Can't help it, really. You guys are always coming here." Ohachiyo put his arms behind his head and turned his back at Hao, walking towards the tree slowly. "You could say that your brother has taken my… interest."

"If you touch Yoh in any way I _swear_..." Hao threatened. He ran towards his brother before the demon could touch him, but Ohachiyo suddenly turned around to face Hao, startling the boy to a halt.

"Wow, quite a brother complex you have there, huh?" Ohachiyo said. He whistled again.

"What do you want with Yoh?" Hao asked.

"Nothing dangerous." Ohachiyo said. He glanced at the sleeping boy. "I just want to… befriend him, that's all."

Hao snorted. "Right. And then you'll eat him for dinner." He approached the demon and held the dagger up close to his throat. "I won't let you touch him."

"Oi oi! What's wrong with befriending him?" Ohachiyo said, putting his palms up in defense. "Though now that you mention it, I _am _kinda hungry."

"So you _are_ going to eat him!" Several shikigamis appeared from the trees. They were bigger than those Hao summoned from stray leaves. The shikigamis immediately surrounded Ohachiyo, ready to strike at any moment. _If he makes any wrong moves, I swear the shikigamis will have his head._' Hao's dagger was still dangerously close to the demon's throat. "I won't let you touch my otouto in any way!"

"Hey! I was only joking!" Ohachiyo said hastily. "Demons don't _get_ hungry, but we have cravings too, you know? Being an ex-human leaves you... unsated."

"Then just go eat the fish in the lake or something." Hao replied.

"What are you, stupid?" Ohachiyo said. He pushed the dagger away from him then crossed his arms. "Demons can't eat on their own 'cause they don't need to. Unless of course, someone _gives_ him food. Like an offering, you know? Humans give offerings to gods and spirits and such. Demons work the same way. So Prince Hao, as you can see, I can't eat the fish in the lake. And being ex-human, I wouldn't dream of ever eating any of you, either. I bet you don't even taste good."

"Tch." Hao said. He lowered his arm and silently ordered the shikigamis to move away slightly, but he still stayed on his guard in case Ohachiyo made any wrong moves. "And so? As if I'd offer you anything."

* * *

"_I will not share my snack with you!"_

_

* * *

_

Yoh stirred slightly from his sleep. He would really liked it if he could just go back to sleep, ignore all the noise from the world of the conscious living (_"JUST HOW MANY DAGGERS DO YOU HAVE_?") and just hug his brother as they continued their way back to the Palace. But of course, Fortune was not in his favor today (not that she favored a lot of people from the start). Soon, Yoh was being pulled back from his slumber.

"Tsk. Such a selfish brat you are." Ohachiyo said.

"Don't call me a brat, demon." Hao said. A third vein popped in his head.

Yoh sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes as they adjust in the dark. He could see a small rabbit-like thing in front of him (which, he later found out, was Ohachiyo the demon) and his brother standing behind the rabbit, a dagger in his hands. Shikigamis were surrounding the demon as well.

"C'mon, all I ask is just food! Surely the prince of Lucifenia can give me some?" Ohachiyo said. "That and, well, it's been so long since I talked to a shaman. You're the only two people who come here on a daily basis, you know. You, and your grandparents too, but they're pretty scary." At this, Ohachiyo gave a small chuckle. "And that little blonde girl too. She's like a reincarnation of the devil or something. And you call _me_ a demon."

'_Is he talking about Anna?_' Yoh thought to himself. He stood up and gave a small, squeaky yawn.

"Yoh!" Hao called. He immediately ran to his brother's side. Ohachiyo was annoyed at being ignored, though he was amused at Hao's devotion towards his brother.

"Who's that, Hao-nii?" Yoh asked sleepily. "Did you get a pet rabbit?"

This time, it was Ohachiyo who popped a vein. "My name's Ohachiyo and I'm a demon. NOT a rabbit."

Immediately, Yoh started up. He stood up straight and gasped; his hand flew to his mouth. "A demon!" He tugged at his brother's robe and looked at him with big, innocent eyes. "Are all demons supposed to be cute, 'nii-san?"

"C-cute?" Hao smiled at his brother, feeling another vein popping up. "Yoh, are you becoming blind?"

"Ne, what is he doing here anyway, nii-san?"

"… He was asking for food."

"Did you give him some?"

"No." Hao threw another dagger at Ohachiyo without looking at him, as his eyes were still fixed on Yoh ("Hey! I didn't even say anything!" "You woke my brother up." "Nani[6]? That was YOUR fault too!" "(another dagger was thrown) Shut up.") "He's a demon, Yoh. He doesn't need to eat."

"But he wants to, right? Why won't you give him some? He doesn't look dangerous."

"He's annoying."

"Hey!" Ohachiyo crossed his arms.

Yoh looked at Hao, then at Ohachiyo. He frowned. How could his brother not help Ohachiyo? Then again, Yoh mused, Hao had always been somewhat anti-social. Now that Yoh thought about it, he only saw Hao at his happiest when only the two of them were playing. Hao didn't trust anyone else except Yoh. Yoh didn't know if he should feel proud of that.

Then he saw it. Right there in his right hand, was the orange Hao gave him (he hasn't let go of it yet?). It was badly bruised, and oddly shaped because of the deformity Yoh's hands have pressed upon its delicate skin. It still seemed safe to eat, though. Yoh didn't really have the heart to eat the deformed orange anymore, but perhaps...?

Without thinking for another second, Yoh ran towards the demon. "Ohachiyo-san!" He called out.

"Yoh!" Hao yelled. He stood and followed his brother. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to give him my orange!" Yoh said, smiling. Ohachiyo was too startled to speak. Yoh took his hand and put the orange in his palms, curling the demon's fingers back so Ohachiyo could hold it. "Here!" He said. "You can have my snack! I don't want to eat it anymore. I'm sorry it looks weird now, though."

Ohachiyo gratefully took the orange, then smiled at Yoh. He looked down at the orange, which seemed so uninviting and unpalatable, but he appreciated it nonetheless. "Thanks kid. You sure you're related to Rapunzel over there?"

"You're welcome!" Yoh said. He gave a cheeky grin. "And he's not Rapunzel! His name is Hao! He's my twin brother!"

Ohachiyo laughed at Yoh's innocence. "I guess you missed the joke, huh." He smiled and gave the boy a thumbs up. "You're a good kid, Yoh."

* * *

_Saying that he was hungry_

_The devil put on a wretched look_

_"Even if I were to swallow the whole world,_

_My belly will still be hungry."_

_I feel really sorry for him_

_So I'll share my snack_

_

* * *

_

"Yoh!" Hao said as he caught up with his brother. He panted, putting a hand on Yoh's shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"Feeding a demon!" Yoh said with a grin. "Ohachiyo was hungry, remember?"

"But Yoh..."

"It's alright, isn't it?" Yoh said, turning his head to face Hao. "I don't think Ohachiyo is evil."

"You say that." Hao said. He put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "But when he starts eating us-"

"He won't. He would have done that while I was sleeping if he wanted to." Yoh said. "Even if he will… Nantoka Naru sa.[8]"

Hao blinked several times. "I-I guess you're right. He's still annoying though." Yoh could only laugh.

"Hey, Prince Yoh!" Ohachiyo called out. Both boys turned their heads to the demon. "As thanks for the orange, I'll tell you something good."

"Something good?" Yoh asked. He walked closer to the demon. Ohachiyo nodded and gestured for the boy to come even closer.

"That's right. I'll tell you the legend of the ocean."

* * *

_"Thank you, noble prince._

_To repay your generosity,_

_I'll tell you a little secret_

_About the ocean."_

* * *

Anna walked away from the courtyard silently. Several guards were running around the area, going back and forth from the inside of the castle walls to the open space of the courtyard. She ignored them completely, just as they ignored her. They all had other things in mind to bother with their surroundings.

That is, Anna _tried_ to ignore them.

'_This is bad. What should we do?_'

'_Hmph. I always knew something like this would happen._'

'_I bet it was Lady Meene. It couldn't have been Sir Luchist._'

'_The queen must be really upset._'

"Shut up." Anna muttered. She walked faster towards her room, having seen enough of the scene in the courtyard. She frowned as more thoughts unwillingly entered into her mind.[9] "Shut up…"

'_So much blood in here…_'

'_The kingdom should be falling now._'

'_I don't like seeing… dead people…_'

Anna clutched her head tightly as she walked. She could barely focus on where she was going. Everything was a blur. She stumbled as she made her way towards her room. "S-stop…" she whispered. She stood up shakily, leaning on the wall for support.

"I can't…" She walked further, moving only inches away from where she fell. "… control…" She gasped; her breathing became irrational as her lungs demanded more oxygen.

'_I wonder who did it…_'

'_Why hasn't the queen arrived yet?_'

"Damn it..." Anna cursed. She was well away from the running guards and the frantic doctors. Why was she still hearing things? Why were people screaming their thoughts into her head?

She walked further, putting most of her weight on the wall. Her heartbeat was racing madly. She could practically hear the pumping of her blood, her head throbbing with pain. Her eyes strained to see how far she must still walk. Her door was only a few steps away. "Not very far now…" She muttered, smiling faintly. She suddenly felt cold.

'_If this isn't an accident, then the princes are in deep shit._'

The door was now right in front of her. Anna sighed in relief, despite the pain her head was experiencing. Hopefully, the thoughts would stop hammering themselves into her head, although that doesn't seem likely since the castle is full of people. Oh well, one's room is still one's sanctuary.

There was a sharp pain that shot right through Anna's skull. She doubled over, biting her lip hard so she wouldn't scream.

She turned the doorknob hurriedly, and collapsed into her room, curling into a ball as she did so.

"Yoh-kun…" she breathed. "Hao-kun… save me…."

* * *

"Ne, Hao-nii…" Yoh said sleepily as they trudged their way back (for who knows how many times) to the castle. For the record, they _did_ made some improvement. Yoh could see the castle was about a few meters ahead now. "There's something wrong with the castle, don't you think?"

"… Why do you say that?"

"Well, there aren't any guards outside. Nobody's welcoming us, or even looking for us at all. The spirits are acting weird and they're all leaving the lake. And the castle…" Yoh stopped to gaze at it. "It seems gloomy."

Hao looked startled at his brother's perception. '_Sharp… Well, that is to be expected of my brother, even though he seems like an idiot to some people._' He followed his brother's gaze. They stood there for a while, just looking at the castle. The lights were on for all of the rooms, making the castle bright in contrast with the dark night. The people inside seem to be hustling about, as if trouble was amidst. They were all in panic, yet somehow, there was an eerie kind of quiet that made the castle look… depressed.

"Do you know what happened, nii-san?" Yoh asked. His eyes never left the castle.

Hao shook his head. "No. Well, I have a guess, but I'm not entirely sure. Do you want to ask the spirits?"

"They won't talk." Yoh said. His eyes became misty. "They'll just give me this weird look." He imitated said look.

"The sooner we get there, the sooner we'll find out."

"What if something bad happened?"

"… Everything will work out in the end." Hao smiled for his brother. He pulled Yoh closer to him. "That's your saying, isn't it? Things will be fine. I'll be there for you if it gets rough."

"Yea! Nantoka Naru sa…" Yoh smiled. "I'll be there for you too, nii-san!"

"I know you will." They continued their walk.

"Mhmm. And to prove that, I'm gonna tell you Ohachiyo's secret!"

"You mean, about the ocean?"

"You know it already?" A pout.

"No. But I'd like to hear it sometime."

* * *

_Let's divide the twilight_

_Between the two of us_

_Don't worry, I'll also tell to you later_

_The wonderful secret of the ocean_

_

* * *

_

Finally (_finally!_), they made it back home. Hao sighed, while Yoh looked about cautiously. Everyone was too busy to welcome the two princes. Not that any of the twins minded.

"_She won't go out of her room!"_

"_Well, what did you expect?"_

"_But… you'd think she would have wanted to see it in person."_

"They must be talking about 'kaa-san." Hao whispered. "Let's go, Yoh." They hastily walked towards their mother's room.

"Where is 'tou-san?" Yoh asked. "And jii-chan and Anna and…"

Suddenly, his head shot up. Hao did the same. A bad feeling started sprouting up in their hearts.

"Anna!" They yelled. They didn't know what happened, or how they knew that something happened, but they just did. They knew (at the same time, interestingly) that Anna was in danger, and they made a mad dash towards her room. Later, they would find out that this was because of their shamanic abilities (and those with such abilities are connected, aren't they?). A few guards who noticed them called out their names, but they took no heed. They didn't listen, but if they did, they would have found out the bad news much sooner.

As they ran towards their only friend, Hao couldn't help but look out the window with a sad look. Because somehow, he felt like the stars were telling him something.

That that was the last sunset he'll see with his brother. And Hao didn't like that.

Not one bit.

* * *

_Let's divide the twilight_

_Between the two of us_

_I'll be the daytime_

_I'll be the nighttime_

_When we hold hands, we make a beautiful orange sky_

_

* * *

_

[1] _Hai_: Yes. So Yoh would be saying "Yes! Yes!" in that part.

[2] _Arigatou_: Thank You.

[3] _Kami_: God.

[4] I'm not sure if this is true, so if it isn't, let's pretend it is. I think demons are different from spirits in that they can touch material things and stuff. They just can't be seen by other people. This could explain why Ohachiyo can eat candy when Hao gave him some in _Mappa Douji_. Perhaps, at least in this fic, a demon can materialize and de-materialize himself into something opaque and something… spirit-like.

[5] Er... I didn't know who else to put here. It was either him or Golem. I think Ohachiyo is a better choice though. Ohachiyo, for those of you who haven't read the manga (I haven't actually read the whole manga, but I did read Mappa Douji), is a demon who Hao met in his first lifetime (before he learned to transmigrate). He was the one who gave Hao the power of Reishi (reading of the heart). He's kinda optimistic, from what I can remember, since he was the one who convinced Hao not to hate humans. He's also a bit mischievous, so that's why his character isn't very 'demonic'.

[6] _Ore_: I (in a very proud sense). This is different from saying _watashi_ or _boku_ because _ore_ denotes that one thinks highly of himself. "_Ore__ wa Shaman."_ translates to "I am a shaman."

[7] _Nani_: What

[8] _Nantoka Naru sa_: It's Yoh's motto, meaning "Everything will work out in the end." or "The problem will work itself out on its own." Keiko says this earlier in the chapter, and so did Hao in the last-ish part, but I didn't put it in Japanese simply because they're not Yoh. This is Yoh's motto, so I don't feel comfortable if other people say it. I don't know why. :P

[9] **SPOILER ALERT…? **This is from the manga. Anna has the power of Reishi (reading of the heart; the one Hao has) when she was a child. When it gets bad, oni (a kind of Japanese monsters similar to grudges) will appear from the thoughts she receives. Yoh saved her from those when they were kids.

**Secret of the Ocean**: The Story of Evil doesn't explicitly say what the secret is, so I won't either. I will imply what it is though, and it is very easy to catch the meaning.

**Zero*Clue: **Another chapter done! I really don't like writing the first part, especially since I suck at dialogue. If you noticed that the second half of the chapter seems rushed… it's because it is. Yay! Anyway, if you have the time, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! They make my world go round. :)


	4. Interlude

**Shaman King: Story of Evil**

"_Oh, it's tea time..." "If it's to protect you, I will become evil for you." Behind the cruel rule of a prince lies the devoted love of a servant with a like face._

* * *

**A/N:** This might possibly be cancelled/discontinued(/indefinite hiatus?) since it seems like I'm biting off more than I can chew. If I ever decide to pick up on this again, I'll be sure to tell you guys.

Damn. And I had the whole story planned out too. It even had a some substories too, like how Yoh and Jeanne met while Yoh wasn't with Hao.

* * *

**PART II**

Prince of Evil

**Chapter Three:**

Interlude

* * *

"Another country?"

"That's right."

"But... why?"

He couldn't believe it. Well, actually, he could. He just didn't have a proper reaction to it other than being dumbfounded. After all, this was all so sudden. He couldn't really think of anything to think of at this point, because it was all too startling. Imagine, out of the blue, your mother would send you off to an unknown place; _and_ without warning too. Wouldn't you be taken aback, even for just that moment? Later, he chastised himself for acting inappropriately. He was, after all, a prince. He should know better than that.

"You know very well why, my dear. Ever since... _that_ happened, the House of Montgomery and the House of Lasso are at each other's throats. Not to mention the Oyamada family that started playing a role in their little tug-of-war. Simply put, you and Yoh are not safe here anymore." Keiko said. She gave her son a small smile, but it seemed forced in Hao's opinion.

"Me and Yoh? What about you?"

"Oh, I'm not coming with you."

"You're not? Why not?"

"Someone has to take care of this castle while you're gone." Keiko turned around, facing the window again. The sky was a lovely blue today. The sun was very bright. "You and Yoh are the next in line for the throne. The senators and nobles will do everything to get as much as they can from you two. Power, money, fame... They won't stop at nothing, Hao. They're greedy people."

"Yoh would disagree would you." Hao said.

"I know." Keiko replied. "That's why I wanted to talk to you about this first. You're a perceptive child, Hao. I'm sure you have seen Sir Luchist and Lady Meene at the banquets and parties, right?"

"Yes. They were very fake. And they kept kissing up to us. They were really annoying."

Keiko chuckled at Hao's bluntness. "Yes, well at least you can see that. Running the country for the last two years hasn't been that easy either, and I don't want you two to be caught up in the politics." She turned around to face Hao. "You're much too young for that. Both you and your brother shouldn't be fought over by the nobles. I don't want you two to waste your childhood on things like this."

"... Yoh wouldn't like this."

"Do you?"

"... I don't know. I'll go wherever Yoh goes."

Keiko smiled. She pulled Hao close to her and hugged him tightly. "I'm so proud of you, Hao." She said. She felt warm tears welling up her eyes. "I want you to know I'm very blessed to have both you and Yoh. You two have grown so much."

Hao stood there, not knowing what to do. His arms automatically moved on their own, reaching for his mother. He hesitated, but hugged her, anyways. It was awkward for him. He didn't know what to say. His mind reeled, and decided to think of things that he could actually give a proper reaction to, as a part of his senses has left him that moment.

Ah, he was moving to another country.

Without his mom.

Wait, what?

Hao frowned. Letting a couple of kids live in another country on their own seems... irresponsible. But this was their mother's decision. Surely she wouldn't give out an order without thinking it through first. Besides, she loved them, didn't she? She must have prepared servants, or a guardian of some sort for them. Of course, Hao (being Hao) could take care of himself. He could also take care of his brother. He would do anything to protect his brother, after all. But what about their mother? Who will take care of _her_? What about the castle? What about the spirits, and Ohachiyo (which Hao begrudgingly accepted as a friend)? What about the guards he loved to boss around? What about-

"... What about Anna?"

* * *

Yoh stared at the grave in deep silence.

He sat down, cross-legged, with his hands on his knees. His eyes were glassy, but not to the point of crying. He sighed.

"The sunset is beautiful today." He whispered. "Can you see it?"

He smiled. "I suppose you could. You can probably see everything from up there."

He kept silent from then on. He stared at the grave with listless eyes. His mind was mostly blank the whole afternoon he sat there. He didn't think of anything, and he didn't want to. It wasn't because of his laidback nature, but because of fear. Yoh was afraid that if he thought of anything, it would eventually lead to _his_ death. And it would lead to questions of why _he_ had to leave them and why _he_ didn't day a proper goodbye. Or of bitter regrets of how Yoh couldn't even use his shamanic abilities to save _him_. And then Yoh's eyes would start to well up, and he would force himself not to cry. So he tried not to think of anything.

Of course, the harder one tried to avoid thinking of something, the easier it was for such thoughts to enter his mind, whether he willed it to or not. Eventually (and Yoh had known this too, all along) thoughts of _his_ death entered his mind. He didn't want it, but he couldn't help it. And it was hard not to think about it in the first place. Still, Yoh tried. It was his way of being strong.

Not that it actually made him strong. Deep down, Yoh felt weak by doing this. And in fact, he was.

He still couldn't get over it.

Above him, the sky was slowly fading into darkness. It was nighttime before he knew it. Why does the night have to come so early? Has it always come by so fast?

"Yoh."

Yoh remained silent as soft footsteps approached him from behind.

"It's cold out here." Said the voice.

"Yeah, it is." Yoh stood up and dusted himself. He looked up at the stars. "Why do you think he went to heaven nii-san? Doesn't he regret anything at all?"

"I suppose not." Hao replied. He put a hand on his little brother's shoulder and gave a firm squeeze. "There's probably nothing here to make him stay."

"What about us?" Yoh asked. His voice cracked as he said this. He couldn't help but tremble slightly. "What about mama?"

"He stayed for a while to say goodbye, didn't he?"

"He didn't say goodbye!" Yoh cried. "He didn't say anything! He just... floated there. He didn't even take off his mask..."

Hao fell silent. Yoh reached out for Hao's hand and gave it a tight squeeze. His hands shook as he did this. In fact, his whole body vibrated with sadness and grief. He closed his eyes and felt tears run down his cheeks. They rolled down slowly, falling to his lips and dropping from his chin. They tasted salty and felt warm. He looked closed his eyes shut, willing the tears away and trying to be strong like his brother. He didn't succeed.

"Aniki... It's raining again."

Hao pulled Yoh closer to him and gave him a semi-hug. He let Yoh bury his head in his shoulder. He looked up at the cloudless sky. "Yeah. It is."

* * *

_She couldn't believe it._

_She wouldn't believe it._

_Anna walked faster, her heart beating loudly in her chest. She sped towards the courtyard, trying to convince herself that it wasn't true, it wasn't true._

_Mikihisa Asakura can't be dead. She wouldn't allow it._

_She entered the courtyard, ignoring the guards that called out her name. She felt something cold was present in the courtyard. Or rather, it wasn't the cold that she noticed. It was the lack of warmth; the absence of something that was always there. Her eyes widened as she stared at the scene before her, fearing that the absence would unfortunately be permanent and irreversible. She fell on her knees. She didn't know what to think anymore._

"_No..." she whispered. "No way..."_

_Mikihisa just laid there, his mask covering any emotion his face might have expressed. His body was becoming pale with sickening pallor. He was curled up into a ball, as one might do when one is feeling intense pain. His clothes were not tattered or torn, but they were covered in blood. It didn't color his whole robe; rather, it was like the blood splattered all over him. There were also droplets of dried up blood on the floor, near his head. He was beginning to stiffen very slightly. His skin felt cold to the touch._

"_No!" Anna cried out. She banged her fist at Mikihisa's chest multiple times. The guards tried to stop her, but she resisted. "Wake up! Wake up, damnit!"_

_She felt like she was about to cry. Why would Mikihisa just... die like that? Leave them alone without saying goodbye? No wait, he didn't die. He couldn't have. Anna wouldn't believe it. If he died, then that meant he was gone. His soul would be carried off to the afterworld soon._

'_His soul!'_

"_Miss Anna." Whispered one of the guards; a firm hand gripped her shoulder. She turned around. It was Kalim._

"_What?" She asked, her tone sounded harsher than she wanted it to be._

_Kalim gave a sad smile. "I'm sorry you had to see this." He wiped the tears away from Anna's eyes. "This isn't something a child like you should be seeing."_

"_I'm... fine." Her hair covered her face from Kalim's view. "I'm okay."_

"_No, you're not okay." Kali wiped away another stray tear._

"_Yes I am."_

"_...You don't have to act tough, Miss Anna." Anna looked up at Kalim. "It's okay to cry once in a while."_

_Anna felt all of the tears she left unshed started falling down her face like waterfalls in the rain. She broke down, leaning on Kalim for support. Her tears stained his robe wet. "Tell me he's still here... Tell me... Tell me his spirit hasn't gone to heaven yet! Get him back Kalim!" Her voice cracked. She didn't say anything else. It was one of those moments when one felt that if he said anything else, he might break down and cry. So Anna remained silent._

_Still, she cried._

"_Shh..." Kalim didn't know what to say. All he could do was stroke her back gently and make soothing sounds._

* * *

"We can't go to another country!" Yoh exclaimed, putting his hands up in the air in frustration. "Not without mama!"

"That was her order." Hao calmly explained. He was sitting in their bed, cross-legged, watching his dear brother pace about the room. He must have walked the same path fourteen times by now. No wait, make that fifteen. "You understand why, don't you?"

"Yes!" Yoh said. "But still!"

"But... what?"

Yoh mumbled something incoherent and nearly inaudible. Hao could probably guess that he wanted to say it out loud, but didn't because he was embarrassed and thought it was quite obvious anyway. Or at least, that was what Hao thought. _"I don't want to leave, nii-san."_

"It's not like we'll be staying there forever." Hao said. He sighed, shifting his position in the bed before his legs went to sleep. He didn't like having pins and needles on his limbs. "We'll be back. We could compromise with kaa-san, if you want. We could go back here during the summer or something."

"I'm not leaving papa." Yoh said, crossing his arms. He stomped his foot once, to prove his point. He stopped walking; instead, he stared at Hao with intense determination. " And mama, and Anna."

"Kaa-san has to stay here to take care of the castle. She said she might let Anna go with us if she wants to."

"I'm still not leaving. I'm not leaving papa!"

"Tou-san's dead, Yoh." Hao gave a stern look. "He's _gone_."

"Don't say that!" Yoh violently shook his head, letting his headphones slip his head and cradle around his pale neck. Hao watched him without interruption. Yoh... has definitely changed since two years ago. "He's not! He's not!"

"... It's the truth." Hao said, when he realized his brother was waiting for a reply. He closed his eyes. He missed his carefree little brother.

"It shouldn't _be_ the truth!"

"Why don't you just _accept_ that?"

"Why don't you _care_?"

That hurt. Hao wouldn't have said it to anyone, but that hurt more than the time his father died, or when Anna released an onslaught of Oni's in the Palace. It hurt more than the time Anna slapped him with her left hand when he said something extremely rude to her on the first day (for he thought Anna was a servant of the Palace, and he didn't like talking to girls because he didn't know a lot of girls his age – not that he would have talked to Anna at all even if he did because Anna... was just a stranger to him then). It hurt more than the time Yoh confessed that he was jealous of him, and that he always compared the two of them because they were twins, and they were identical (or at least, they should be, shouldn't they?), and because Hao was on a different, higher level than him. (To which, of course, Hao disagreed.)

It hurt to think that Yoh would see Hao as uncaring. He wouldn't have cared if anyone else thought of that, except perhaps Anna, but only because she cared about him and Yoh (in a very aggressive and cruel way), and that Yoh thought of Anna as a friend (he tried to disagree, though he really can't when it came to Yoh's preferences, and it was rare for any of them to have friends in the first place). But perhaps the reason it really hurt, was because Yoh was right.

Well, mostly right. He cared, just not as much as Yoh expected.

It didn't mean Yoh had to know, though.

"... I didn't say I don't."

"You don't." Yoh whispered. His hands curled into tight fist. He looked down, bangs covering his eyes. Yet, Hao could tell he was on the verge of tears. He frowned. He didn't like seeing his brother cry. Especially if he was the reason. "You never did. You stopped mourning for him after the funeral ended!"

"It's not like we can bring him back..."

"We're shamans!" Yoh looked up, his eyes fierce with determination, anger, and frustration. "There _has_ to be a way!"

Hao narrowed his eyes. He stood up and approached his brother. "Don't," He punched Yoh in the cheek. "Even think about it."

'_I don't want him back. I don't._'

Yoh didn't move from his position. "Why, nii-san?" he whispered. "Don't you love him?"

'_I... do._'

It's not that he hated his father. Or disliked him for that matter.

'_I do._'

He just didn't love him as much as Yoh did.

'_But he left us. He didn't stay._'

And he caused Yoh a lot of grief.

'_His spirit could have stayed instead of going to heaven._'

He made Yoh change.

'_You're not Yoh anymore._'

"If he went to the afterworld, then that means he regretted nothing. He said his goodbyes. He has no business here anymore." Hao whispered back. "We can't force him back for our selfish reasons."

"I'm not being selfish!" Yoh said. He cried. Hard. "I just want him back!" He broke down, collapsing on the floor. He curled into a ball, rocking himself back and forth, with his arms hugging his knees. "I... miss him."

Hao stared at his brother. '_Just let go of him..._' He didn't kneel down, or comfort Yoh in anyway. He remained silent as he watched Yoh talk to himself in his misery. '_Be the brother I used to play with._'

And as much as Hao wanted to hug his brother and calm him down, he didn't. '_He's not my Yoh anymore._' He was frustrated at his father for dying and leaving them behind. Frustrated that the king's disappearance made Yoh change into something depressing and down. Frustrated that after all this time, Yoh thought of him as uncaring and apathetic. Frustrated that... he tried everything he could in those two years to bring back the brother he knew, and failed.

Frustrated that Yoh wouldn't change for him, and that he was being selfish.

But he did all he could for Yoh. Couldn't he just do him one favor?

'_Won't you come back?_'

Hao straightened himself and walked past his brother. He opened the door and left, thinking that perhaps, he really was as uncaring as his brother said. Later, he would feel bitter for proving his brother's point. But right now, he didn't want to think about it.

He heard Yoh cry harder through the closed door.

* * *

"It is a pleasure to have you here, Oyamada-san."

"The pleasure is all mine, Your Majesty."

Oyamada Mansumi is a small man, but by no means is he a deadwood in the middle of all the political intrigue in Lucifenia. He is the head of a rich family that has attained the 'nobility' status through his innovations and technological advances in the country (yet he is not of noble blood, so he is not given the title of 'Sir' – not that he cared for it anyway). He holds a high position in the market and potential industry. The national businessman. He is held with high respect amongst the commonfolk, but is greatly disliked in the higher echelon. This is perhaps due to the fact that Oyamada Mansumi is partially against monarchy; instead, favouring a parliamentary or capitalistic government. He is also a firm believer of science, thus, gaining him more enemies in the shamanic higher-ups.

Especially since around half of the shaman community in Lucifenia consists of nobles.

"Thank you for doing so much for our country. Lucifenia has been prosperous in the market since you stepped in." Queen Keiko said. She looked as lovely as the summer chrysanthemums on Oyamada-san's vase in his office. Or, so he thought, anyway.

"You are very much welcome, Your Majesty. I try to do my best to contribute to the betterment of our nation." Oyamada-san replied, bowing his small body slightly. "But there is a small matter I would like to discuss you with."

Queen Keiko gave a small sigh, to which the smaller man ignored. She took a small sip of tea. "Please, do go on, Oyamada-san."

Oyamada-san cleared his throat before speaking again. "It is about... you, Your Majesty."

"Me?"

"Yes. I mean no disrespect, and I apologize if I offend you in any way, Your Majesty, but I do not see you leading the nation on your own for long."

"It was not part of the plan." Queen Keiko set the teacup down. "You know very well the circumstances."

"Yes, and I apologize for bringing it up." Oyamada-san looked up to see Prince Hao from the doorway. Beside him was a young blonde, with a long necklace clutched in her hands. The necklace seemed familiar, as if he had seen in a book somewhere. Most likely it had something to do with the shamanic abilities these people seem to possess. Oyamada-san mentally frowned. "What I am trying to say is that your sons are the heirs to the throne, correct? It won't be long before their coming of age. One of them will have to go through the coronation ceremony."

"And what makes you think they won't become kings both, Oyamada-san?"

"It's part of tradition, isn't it?" Oyamada-san took a sip of his own tea. "That only one person can become king of this country. And as shamans, I am sure you are all fond of your traditions."

Queen Keiko stared down at Oyamada-san. "And what are you trying to suggest?"

"I am sure you are fond of both your children, Your Majesty. You want both of them to rule this country, correct?"

"If they are willing. I am sure they can accomplish more than if they were alone."

"Then if Your Majesty wishes to break tradition, as you are doing even now," (for a _king_dom cannot be ruled by a _queen_, after all) "Might I contribute to it?"

"... In what way?"

"I believe I can help them with their education. The economy of this country is no longer dependent solely on magic anymore, Your Majesty." Oyamada-san eyed the elder Prince. "People are advancing towards a greater future. They no longer depend on divinations and spirits. They need money, and homes, and jobs in the market. They are advancing to greater heights, and I believe I have the knowledge for that. I can help His Highnesses improve our nation's stability."

"You are quite blunt, Oyamada-san." The queen replied. "So you believe that divinations won't help our country prosper?"

"I am only trying to be honest and straightforward. I mean no disrespect, Your Majesty." Oyamada-san smirked a little. "You have to admit, the shaman culture is fading away. Now is the era of technology, not magic or spirits that we are not even sure of existing. People need something tangible to hold on to, something they are sure are going to make them live easily. They need money. They need power. I have that power to help them." A pause. "It is still entirely up to your decision, Your Majesty."

Queen Keiko nodded. She closed her eyes and crossed her arms, as if contemplating on Oyamada-san's proposal. This made the man smile on the inside. A few minutes later, she stood up. "I do not approve, then." She gave Oyamada-san a look then turned around to walk off. "I believe this meeting is adjourned."

"But Your Majesty!"

"I do not want my sons to be puppets stringed to you, Oyamada-san." Queen Keiko said, without turning to face her visitor. "You have been very frank to me up until now, so I shall return the same honesty to you. Our family has been practicing shamanism for many years. I do believe that humans need to improve their way of living to survive. However, this does not mean that the traditional way of living is becoming useless. Humans need to become one with nature in order to survive in this world. No, I suppose it is more correct to say that we are a part of nature itself."

"Part of nature?" Oyamada-san laughed. "I beg to disagree, Your Majesty. People _need_ nature. It is a necessity of life. It gives us food and shelter. How can we be a part of something we destroy for our own benefits? And if you forget, Mother Nature is not exactly kind to us. She gives us rainstorms and hail, and drought and famine and death. Rather than becoming one with nature, we should overcome it, and maximize its uses to feed our needs."

"You do not understand, then." Queen Keiko said. "By the way, I have heard rumors that you were behind some of the murders in the shaman community? The police seems to have been bribed not to talk about it. The spirits, however, can be very chatty, especially on cold nights."

Oyamada-san remained silent.

"Of course, I will still have someone investigate that. If you want me to consider your proposal, I think it is best not to get too arrogant and disrespect the beliefs of others, especially with such rumors floating around you. I am well aware of your... dislike for our kind. " And with that, Queen Keiko walked away. "It has been a pleasure talking to you, Oyamada-san."

Oyamada Mansumi could only grit his teeth in response.

* * *

**A/N:** It was a choppy chapter. The transitions in the chapters were... meh.


End file.
